


Redirection

by ohmypeeta



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Closed Adoption, F/M, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Out of Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:14:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23186863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmypeeta/pseuds/ohmypeeta
Summary: An unexpected pregnancy threatens to alter the course of their lives. But after the adoption papers are signed, their lives go on, however in two different directions. Ten years later their lives overlap again, and a second chance at love may be what they needed all along.
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Kudos: 77





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, readers! It's been a while since I've written anything, and this is my first multiple chapter work for the Hunger Games fandom. I am currently off of work for an undetermined amount of time during this coronavirus pandemic, and found the prologue on my laptop. I revised it, and starting writing again. I have chapter one finished and two halfway there. I expect this to be no more than about 6 chapters, give or take a chapter. I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> The Hunger Games and all associated characters and themes belong to Suzanne Collins. I am only borrowing them to keep my mind of things.

** Prologue **

**2009**

They had known each other since they were five years old. He was the shy, chubby faced little boy who had to be coaxed to the classroom carpet. She was the confident one, in her brand new red dress and two braids, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as she stood in front of their kindergarten class. He had sat mesmerized, hand over his heart, as he listened to her voice, strong and steady, almost commanding. For the rest of the year, he tried to work up the courage to talk to her, but she was the popular one, always surrounded by the classmates, and he never did.

The rest of their elementary career progressed much in the same way. He still admired her from afar, even though they were placed in the same class year after year. In fifth grade, he left her three iced cookies that he had spent hours the night before Valentine’s Day perfecting. He’d taken a rolling pin to the head for wasting so much icing, but when he saw the smile on her face that morning when she found the cookies in her cubby, he knew it was all worth it. She asked her best friend who left them, but seemingly gave up when multiple people said they didn’t know. He was momentarily disappointed she didn’t ask him, but he knew deep down he would have never admitted they were from him.

Everything changed when they started middle school. Her father was killed that summer in a car accident. A drunk driver ran a red light, and he’d heard there was no suffering. That wasn’t true though, because when they started school in August, he could see how much she was suffering. No longer surrounded by a group of giggling girls, she walked the halls in silence, almost on autopilot. When he joined the junior wrestling league, he suddenly found himself the one surrounded by the popular kids. However, he never stopped admiring her, and he was the first to notice how far she had fallen.

He started leaving food on top of her desk in homeroom. He had to get to school thirty minutes early to sneak the brown bag into the room, and at first, she seemed reluctant to take the bags. But as her face became more and more gaunt, he noticed her eating from the bag at lunch. Seeing her eat helped him forget his own hunger, as it was his sandwich, apple, and water in those bags each day, which left him with only a granola bar. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to talk to her, and worried if he did, she’d stop taking the food.

After a few months of this, she suddenly stopped coming to school. He continued to leave his lunch on her desk each morning, but for almost two weeks, he had to sneak it back into his bookbag after the bell had rang. He grew worried, and eventually asked their homeroom teacher where she was. “I’m not at liberty to discuss another student,” she had answered curtly, but her eyes were sympathetic. She squeezed his shoulder and added, “She’ll be okay.”

The next Monday, she suddenly appeared again. While she still had the same look of sadness, her face looked slightly fuller, and for the first time in months, she walked with her head held high, not looking toward the ground. The rumors were making their way through the sixth grade, but he was finally able to learn that her mother was sent to an inpatient rehab center on the other side of the country, and she and her sister had to go with her until they could establish temporary custody for them. A distant aunt had been contacted and would be their guardian until their mother was ready to come home. Unfortunately, their mother’s alcohol addiction was much more serious than anyone had realized, and she was transferred to a long term care facility for the next five years.

It was their senior year of high school when he finally got the opportunity to talk to her. Really talk to her. Through the years, they’d worked on class projects together, and even eaten lunch at the same table on occasion. However, he was now one of the school’s star wrestlers, surrounded constantly by his teammates, other athletes, and cheerleaders. She kept her circle much smaller, still friends with the same girl she’d been best friends with since kindergarten. That friend happened to be a cheerleader, and that’s why their lunch tables sometimes overlapped. They’d exchanged pleasantries on these occasions, but not much more.

The bell above the door to his family’s bakery dinged, drawing his attention to the front lobby. He was in the kitchen, rolling out a batch of cookie dough, when he looked up and saw her face in the window of the swinging door. His breath hitched in his throat, and his hands stilled as he listened intently to the conversation between her and his father.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Mellark,” she greeted. Her voice was soft, but musical.

“Well, hello, Katniss, it’s very good to see you.” His father’s cheery voiced filled the small shop. “How’s your mother?”

“She’s doing well. She was able to get a job at the nursing home and my aunt Effie is leaving this weekend. That’s actually why I’m here.” There was silence for a few moments and he leaned back, trying to see what was happening through the window. However, the counter wasn’t visible from where he was standing.

“Absolutely! It’s part time, afternoons and Saturdays. The most I could offer is about 20 hours a week,” his dad explained. _The help wanted sign,_ he realized.

“That’s fine. I just want to earn a little extra. Help my mom and all.”

“I understand. When can you start?”

“As soon as you need me to.”

“How about I give you a tour and then I’ll see you tomorrow at three?”

“Sounds great.”

He heard feet shuffling and busied himself with the rolling pin again. Moments later, the door swung open and his dad walked in, Katniss following behind.

“Peeta! You know Katniss right?”

He stopped again, lifted is head, and locked eyes with Katniss. “Yes,” he told his dad. “Hello, Katniss.”

She gave him a small wave and replied, “Hi, Peeta.” His heart skipped a beat. The effect she had on him was unnerving. But, he’d give anything to talk to her more. Now wasn’t the time however, as his dad began showing Katniss around the kitchen. It was quick, as the bakery wasn’t very large, and his dad explained the majority of her duties would take place in the front of the bakery, customer service and light cleaning.

It would be weeks after that before he finally worked up the courage to talk to her. They were closing the store, as had been the routine on Tuesday and Thursday nights since she had started working there. He was transported back to that day in kindergarten when he knew she was special. When he did approach her that night, he blurted, “What’s your favorite color?” He was mortified and tried to think of an exit strategy. As he was turning to bolt into the kitchen, he suddenly heard laughter. He paused, shocked. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard her laugh, let alone seen her smile. But as he faced her again, his heart swelled as he took in her face, the beautiful smile stretched wide.

After about 30 seconds, though, it wasn’t as amusing, and he lamely asked, “What?”

She recovered quickly and shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s just… we’ve known each other for what seems like ages, and we’ve never really spoken. And the first conversation is you asking about my favorite color.” She giggled again, and Peeta realized just how funny it was.

“Well?” he pondered, his lips pulling into a wide smile.

“It’s green,” she answered easily. “It reminds me of happier times,” she added quietly.” He wasn’t sure what she meant, but her smile had diminished some, and he figured she was referring to when her father was still alive. “What’s yours?” she asked.

“It’s orange.” She pulled her face into a grimace. “Not like what you think!” he defended. He paused, his eyes drifting to the store front’s windows. He put his hands on her shoulders and spun her. “Like that,” he whispered, his breath tickling behind her ear. She gasped as she took in the sunset, the chills from the contact running through her body.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. _You are_ , he thought as he dropped his arms, returning to the task of sweeping the floors as she finished wiping down the display cases.

Two months later and Katniss knew the bakery well enough to handle the front of the store on Saturdays alone. Two of those Saturdays meant it was only her and Peeta in the bakery. On Saturdays, the bakery closed at two, and Peeta usually had wrestling practice after. Today, however, was one of the rare Saturdays they didn’t have to be at the school, and Peeta was feeling bold. Since that night when he’d asked her about her favorite color, they had formed a friendship of sorts. Granted, they still didn’t interact much at school, but the time they spent in the bakery together was all theirs. They laughed about silly things, and shared tidbits about their every day lives. The past was off limits however, which Peeta was fine with. Even though it was a long time ago, he didn’t want her to know it was him who’d given her lunch after her dad passed.

As he cleaned the counter in the kitchen, he knew today he would finally ask her out. He’d been prepping himself all week, practicing in the mirror. He heard her closing the display cases and knew she was almost done cleaning up the front, and he took a deep breath, steadying himself. As he saw the door open, he took a deep breath, her name on his lips. But as he took in her appearance, the red cheeks, bloodshot eyes, the words caught in his throat and he dropped the rag on the countertop.

“Katniss?” he said softly. “What’s wrong?” She shook her head, trying to hide her face, but a sob escaped. Suddenly all of his nerves disappeared, and he went to her, arms wrapping around her shoulders tightly. “Shh,” he tried to soothe as the sobs continued and her body shook.

After several minutes of him holding her, her crying subsided enough to mutter, “It’s his birthday.” He didn’t have to ask who she meant. They’d never talked about her father before, and he wasn’t sure how to proceed. The silence grew thick, but he continued to hold her. He didn’t know how long they stood there, but when she was ready, she pulled back and gave him a sad smile.

“Thank you, Peeta,” she whispered. He nodded, words escaping him. “I’ll see you Tuesday?” she asked and he merely nodded again, kicking himself as she walked out the door.

Tuesday came and went, and while he never was able to formally ask her out, their relationship had changed. They began to talk more at school, and he found himself looking for ways to be around her. To her credit, she appeared to be doing the same, and Peeta wasn’t complaining about the random touches to his hand, shoulders, and back, when she sat down next to him at the lunch table, or when she passed him in the bakery.

The first time they kissed, a rainy Tuesday night in February, Peeta felt as if his life was complete. It had been her who had initiated the kiss, and he was so shocked he almost ruined it by pulling away. From that night on, it was unspoken, but understood they were now a couple, with the entire school finding out the next morning when they walked into the building hand in hand.

That was six months ago, and as Peeta packed his things to take to university with him, he felt their relationship was unshakable. He knew things would be hard in the coming years, with him traveling to the west coast for school, and her staying in their small town, taking classes online through the nearby community college. He had tried to convince her to apply to schools near him, but she had been unmovable in her decision to stay in Panem and keep close watch on her sister. Although her mother had been sober for almost a year and a half, Peeta knew Katniss felt responsible for her family, and although he didn’t agree, he respected her decision.

There was a knock on the door, and Peeta stopped packing to get the door. His brother was with his dad at the bakery, and his mother had left earlier that day to go shopping with some friends. When he opened the door, he was shocked and then concerned to see Katniss standing on his doorstep, eyes red and puffy.

“Katniss,” he said, voice laced with concern. He pulled her easily into his arms and she began crying hysterically into his shoulder.

“I’m sss-sorry,” she sobbed. Peeta was confused and pulled away, searching her face for clues.

His brow furrowed and he asked, “What for?”

She pulled back from him and lifted the bottom of her shirt. It had been his and was three sizes too big for her. He’d noticed she’d been wearing his shirts a lot that summer, but he had assumed it was because he was leaving, and she wanted to keep him close. But as his eyes fell to her stomach, he knew he’d been wrong. Very wrong.

Her stomach was slightly rounded, and suddenly it all made sense. The baggy shirts, her excuses for not going swimming in the lake, the “flu” she’d had last month, and why they hadn’t been intimate since then. Peeta opened and closed his mouth several times before finally speaking.

“How long have you known?”

She was silent for several seconds, and he saw the fear in her eyes. Finally, her voice barely above a whisper, she answered, “Since May.”

“May!” he exclaimed, unable to hold back. He was furious, unable to comprehend how she’d kept this from him for so long. He tried to calculate in his brain how far along she was. Three months? Four months? She seemed to know what he was thinking.

“I’m due January 1st.”

Peeta shook his head repeatedly, not sure what to say. His mind was spinning. He’d be home for Christmas, as long as the baby didn’t come early, he could be home for the birth. Maybe he could transfer back home after the first semester. Or could he ask the university to refund his tuition for fall? Could his financial aid be transferred? Could he even apply to a local university now?

“Peeta, stop.” She had stopped crying, and her face was serious. “I know what you’re thinking, and that’s exactly why I didn’t want to tell you. You’re going to Washington. You’re going to get your fine arts degree, and you aren’t going to worry about me. Or the baby.” For the first time, he noticed the bookbag she had brought in with her. She opened the zipper and pulled out a manilla envelope. “I’ve done a lot of thinking and this is the best decision. For both of us. You go to college and I take care of Prim, just like we planned.”

“Best decision?” Peeta questioned, his eyes scanning the papers. “A closed adoption? You didn’t tell me and then you make this decision without me?” He was getting angry, but he tried to keep his temper even. Yelling wasn’t going to solve anything.

“It wasn’t about making it without you, Peeta. Please listen to me,” she pleaded. “The last few months with you have been the happiest of my life since losing my dad. After he died, and my mom overdosed, I didn’t think I would ever be happy again. Prim was my only reason for living. Until you. But don’t you see? Having a baby will ruin all of that.” He tried to interrupt, but she kept on. “No, it would,” she insisted. “I know you, Peeta. Better than you think I do. Having this baby means you don’t pursue your dreams. As soon as you saw my stomach, I knew the thoughts going through your head. And I won’t let you stay here. You have too much potential for this tiny town. And let’s face it. I’m already raising one child. I’m not ready to raise another. Please try to be rational for a minute. Deep down, you know this is the only way.”

He considered her words but no amount of time was going to convince him to agree with her. She may have been right in the fact that with this baby, he wouldn’t go to school. He would stay here, working in the bakery. While he was willing to do that for their child, he knew he couldn’t force her to raise a baby she wasn’t ready for. Reluctantly, he took the pen she held out for him, signing the adoption agreement.

“What now?” he asked, as she slid the papers back into the folder.

“Nothing,” she said.

“Nothing?”

“We go on with our lives as if nothing’s changed.”

Somehow, Peeta thought, that didn’t seem possible.


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy, oh boy, has life taken some crazy turns! When I first posted this story, my intention was to update on a fairly regular basis.
> 
> And then everything shut down. I am working from home with an elementary school child. For those of you in similar positions, I'm sure you can relate. I am doing twice the amount of work I did before, working entirely too many hours for what I am actually paid, and trying to make sure my kid actually learns. So unfortunately, writing and editing (as well as even reading), has taken a backseat. 
> 
> Maybe that's why I've only done one shots. But I digress. Anyway, here is the next chapter for Redirection. For those of you familiar with my work, my characters are usually out of character. I take creative liberty and in my opinion, these characters are going to be different because it's modern times, with different issues. I do try to keep their personalities fairly similar, but even then, I've found that a lot of writers and readers alike interpret their personalities differently as well. 
> 
> I do not own any rights to the Hunger Games or its characters and themes.

** Chapter One **

**2019**

It was if he had entered a time warp. As he drove through the streets of Panem, he realized nothing had changed. The buildings still looked the same. The shoppers on Main Street still looked the same. It definitely wasn’t Seattle, but it was home. Ten years had passed since he’d driven these streets, but he felt a strange sense of calm as he took in the familiar sights. In fact, it was as if his mind was on autopilot, because without even realizing it, he was parking his car in the lot in front of his family’s bakery. Much like the rest of town, Mellark Bakery remained unchanged, except for the new sign his father had upgraded, adding _and Sons_ after he agreed to come home.

Peeta’s mother had passed last year, leaving Peeta’s dad and older brother, Rye, to run the bakery alone. Their other brother, Brannon, had a successful law firm in Florida, and Peeta knew it was his responsibility to help keep the bakery running. His father had hinted more than once that he was ready to retire, but Rye wasn’t as talented in the kitchen as he was. And although Peeta had developed a dedicated following that enjoyed his art, he couldn’t let the family bakery be sold. After setting up a website and a promise that he wouldn’t stop painting, Peeta packed up his studio apartment, shipping everything he owned in a pod, and made the cross-country trip back to Panem.

He took a few minutes to watch as his father interacted with the customers inside the shop. It had been three years since he’d seen him, when his family had travelled to Washington for Thanksgiving. Although his dad’s cheery smile was still present, he was moving slower than he had been. Peeta watched as he boxed up cheese buns for the woman at the front of the line, and his heart stopped when she turned around. _Katniss._

Peeta tensed up and was transported back to his living room all those years ago. That was the last time he had seen her. Even though she had promised things wouldn’t change, the moment he got on that plane, everything did. While he called and texted many times in the months that followed, her responses were always short and curt. When she did answer his calls, she sounded distracted and uninterested. The few times he tried to ask about the pregnancy, she dismissed him, responding that everything was fine, but she really didn’t want to talk about _it._ That’s how she referred to the child they had made together. _It_. And once the baby was actually born—well, that’s when things really changed.

“Peeta,” she said when he picked up the phone, shocked she was the one who called him. She’d had the baby the week before. She’d texted to tell him she was in labor, but other than that, Peeta didn’t know anything. He didn’t even know if she’d had a boy or a girl. “We need to talk.” His heart sank. He’d seen enough movies to know those words were bad. “I just need some time. This past week has been really hard. I love you. Just give me some space, okay? Time to get my head on straight.”

He had been shocked, and the only thing he knew to do was agree. However, if he had known that was the end… He would have fought harder. As time went on, it became apparent that things between them were over. She stopped responding and he gave up reaching out. He threw himself into university life, joined a fraternity, made new friends, and let go of Katniss Everdeen as well as he could. And now, here she was, like a ghost coming back to haunt him.

As she approached the door, he busied himself with the glove box, pretending to look for something. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as she placed the box gingerly into the front basket of a bicycle. She swung one leg over the seat and pedaled passed him, never giving him or his car a second glance. Peeta released a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding and unbuckled his seatbelt, not quite ready to face the demons of his past, but not having any other choice.

***

The reunion with his father and brother had been much more pleasant and welcomed than his near run in with Katniss. His father had immediately wrapped him in a hug, and Rye wasn’t far behind. As they exchanged greetings, asking about Katniss was on the tip of his tongue. He was honestly surprised she was shopping in the bakery. After she and Peeta signed the adoption paperwork, they had gone to the bakery to talk to his dad. To Mr. Mellark’s credit, he hid his disappointment well. He showed them the respect and understanding they needed, especially when Mrs. Mellark was told. She’d called Katniss every name in the book and tried to hit Peeta multiple times. That was his mother’s go to when she was mad at him—hit him anywhere and everywhere she could. Peeta shuddered at the memory.

He wondered if she had been in the bakery throughout the years or if she’d only been back since his mother’s passing. His mother had never been Katniss’s biggest fan. When she saw her working the front counter of the bakery, she demanded she be fired. Mr. Mellark, who usually did as his wife told, stood his ground and refused. Unable to get her way, Mrs. Mellark simply pretended Katniss didn’t exist, especially after she and Peeta began dating. That day was the most she’d ever spoken to Katniss, and Peeta assumed it was the first and last time. He knew from Rye that Katniss had at least stayed away from the bakery and the Mellark family for the remainder of her pregnancy. But, when their relationship fizzled, the topic of Katniss dissolved as well. Peeta never asked and his family never offered.

As the days passed since he had returned home, Peeta threw himself into bakery life seamlessly. It was as if he had never left. Rye managed the front and he took over the bulk of the orders, working quietly alongside his father. Being back in the kitchen was somewhat therapeutic, however Peeta was plagued with memories of Katniss. Their first conversation, their first kiss, the first time they told each other they loved one another. It was almost too much, and Peeta struggled to find things to distract himself. Mr. Mellark, who was highly observant even in his older years, questioned him almost a week after his arrival.

“What’s on your mind, son?” he asked, gently.

Peeta had been mindlessly kneading the same dough for the last five minutes, staring out the side window. He gave his dad and half smile, trying to look convincing. “Nothing.”

Mr. Mellark chuckled. “You may have been gone, Peeta, but I know you better than that. You saw her, didn’t you?”

“Saw who?”

Mr. Mellark gave him a pointed look. “I may be old, but I’m not stupid, Peeta. She left, seconds later you walked in. It’s not hard to put two and two together.”

Peeta sighed. “Does she come in a lot?”

“She’s been getting cheese buns every Saturday for the last two years. Ever since her sister came home from school. One for each of them.”

“Oh.” Peeta wasn’t sure what else to say. He finished kneading the dough before shaping and placing it into a pan.

“She’s okay,” his dad finally supplied after a few moments, answering Peeta’s unasked question.

“Good,” Peeta whispered. “Good.”

***

Saturday morning came and Peeta braced himself for her arrival. The chances of her seeing him were slim, since he barely went into the front of the shop. However, he couldn’t keep his attention away from the small window on the swinging door, which allowed him a clear view of the bakery’s main entrance. Each time the bell chimed, signaling a customer walking in, Peeta would look up to see if it was her. However, with each passing hour, none of the bakery’s customers were Katniss. By the closing time, Peeta wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed.

Their father had left around noon, which left Rye and Peeta to clean up the shop and prep it for Monday morning. As the two brothers stood side by side washing and drying dishes, Rye made small talk.

“What are your plans for the weekend?”

Peeta hadn’t really thought about it. Last weekend he’d spent his time unpacking and arranging the apartment upstairs. It hadn’t been lived in for years. His father still lived in their childhood home, and Rye lived in an apartment not far from the bakery with his fiancée. While the apartment upstairs was still fully furnished, Peeta had spent all day the previous Sunday vacuuming and dusting, scrubbing and washing. The rest of the week was spent in the bakery and then working on a commissioned piece for one of his best clients on the west coast.

“I should probably go grocery shopping,” Peeta realized. “I’ve been surviving on whatever’s left here for most of the week.”

Rye laughed. “You know you’re welcome for dinner at our place anytime. Delly’s been dying to see you since you’ve been home.”

“I know, I know.” Delly had been Peeta’s friend in school. In fact, they had been fairly close and most people thought the two of them would end up together. For the longest time, Delly was the only one who knew Peeta was in love with Katniss, and Peeta used to joke Delly was only friends with him to be closer to Rye. A joke that he learned was partly true when Delly and Rye began dating shortly after Peeta left for school. They’d been engaged for almost 5 years and dating for twice as long. Peeta wasn’t sure if they would ever get married, but knew education was important to Delly, who was completing her doctorate in early childhood education before even considering settling down. Rye was patient and totally head over heels and Peeta knew Rye would wait a lifetime for Delly. Much like he would have done for Katniss.

“Hey, Rye?”

“Yeah?”

“Dad said she comes in every Saturday…” his voice trailed.

“Yeah, like clockwork.”

“But not today,” Peeta pressed.

“No, I didn’t see her.”

Peeta nodded, contemplating this confirmation. What had stopped her? Was it merely coincidence? “Do you—do you ever talk to her?”

Rye finished drying a baking sheet and placed in on the rack. He grabbed another sheet before speaking. “Yeah,” he answered slowly. “We’ve—uh—we’ve actually kept in pretty close contact since you left for school.”

Peeta froze, the pan he was washing slipping from his hands. The pan hit the soapy water with a splash, sending suds all over the basin of the sink and the floor. Anger immediately filled him and he bit out, “What?!” 

“I’m sorry, Peet, really, I am.” Peeta shot his brother a very pointed glare.

“You’re sorry? I’m your brother!”

“I know! But Katniss, she really needed someone after she had the baby.”

Peeta seethed. He didn’t know it was possible to be this angry. “She had someone!” he shouted. “She had me! I called. I texted. And she pushed me away!” Rye reached out his hand, trying to place it on Peeta’s shoulder. Peeta dodged his touch. “No! No! This is not okay and I am not going to let you act like it is. She was my girlfriend, Rye! I loved her. She is the mother of my child! A child that I think about every day. A child that I don’t know if it was a boy or a girl. A child who I don’t know if he or she is happy, healthy, cared for. I respected Katniss’s decision even if I didn’t agree with her. And she promised me nothing would change. Instead, not only did I lose my child, I lost her too!” Peeta stopped, his body suddenly overcome with sadness. His shoulders began to quake, and he choked out his sobs. “You can finish cleaning up. I’m done for the day.”

Ignoring Rye’s calls, Peeta stomped up the stairs to his apartment, slamming the door behind him. Slamming out the reality he had just been presented. And slamming out the realization that despite it all, he couldn’t hate her. Katniss Everdeen would forever be the love of his life.

***

Sometime later, he heard Rye knocking on the thin wooden door. He was sitting on the couch, remote in hand, mindlessly flipping through channels. He ignored the knocking, hoping Rye would take the hint. Instead, after several more knocks, Rye opened the door, calling out his name softly. He made a note to get a doorknob with a lock.

“Peeta,” Rye said, coming down the hallway. “Can we please talk about this?”

Peeta didn’t respond, instead he turned up the television, which was currently stopped on a children’s show about puppies. Rye refused to take the hint and sat down next to him on the couch.

“Fine. You don’t have to talk. But I am going to. You can choose to hate me afterwards, but just hear me out.” Peeta huffed. “I don’t know what transpired before you left for school. I only know that you both signed the adoption papers and that was that. Once you left for school, Katniss basically disappeared. None of us saw her. She told Dad she was quitting to focus on school, that she had enough saved to get her through until she had the baby, and she’d be back after that. Dad agreed and I went by her house the next week to give deliver her last check. But, when I got to her house, I knew things weren’t as she wanted us to believe.

“She wasn’t in school. Her mom had started drinking again, and Katniss was working two jobs in the Seam. I got there as she was changing for her shift at a place called Sae’s Diner. I questioned her, telling her that she didn’t have to quit the bakery. And she broke down. She said she’d made a mistake. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go through with the adoption. She told me she missed you but didn’t know how to communicate that to you.”

Peeta opened his mouth to interject, wanting to know why Rye didn’t tell her to just call him. Rye held up his hand, silencing Peeta again. “I told her to just tell you. That she was everything to you and that together, anything was possible. She argued, saying she’d already chosen a couple to adopt the baby and she couldn’t break their hearts. The deal was done and she had to move on with her life. And that meant moving on from you and away from anything that reminded her of you.”

Peeta didn’t know what to say. He was still very upset. This wasn’t what he had expected when he came home and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. “What happened after that?”

“I told her that I thought she was being stupid, but I couldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want to do. Then I told her that she had my number and if she needed anything, to call me.”

“And she did?”

“Yes. About three days after going into labor. She had only been home a day or so, and on top of saying goodbye to the baby, she came home to find her mom completely wasted and the house trashed. Luckily, her sister was staying with the Hawthornes while she was in the hospital since their mom’s work schedule conflicted with getting Prim to and from school. She immediately called her aunt, and her mom was already back in a rehab facility.”

“Why didn’t she call me?”

“I don’t know. She asked if I could help her clean up the house, because she wasn’t supposed to do anything too strenuous and her mom had really done a number on the house. So Delly and I loaded up my car with as many cleaning supplies as we could and we cleaned while she slept. I didn’t hear from her again until a couple months later. That time it was because she was petitioning the court for legal guardianship of Prim and needed a character witness.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t know any of this,” Peeta breathed out. He thought back to that phone call, right after she’d had the baby. When she told him the week had been hard. He had assumed it had to do with the adoption, when, in reality, she was dealing with so much more. And instead of trying harder to be there for her, he gave her the space she requested and let it all go. He felt betrayed, but most of all he felt stupid. “So she had custody of Prim? What happened to Mrs. Everdeen?”

“Yes, she did. I guess my character witness worked in her favor. Mrs. Everdeen did another two years in rehab and then moved in with her aunt. The one that stayed with Katniss and Prim the first time?”

“Effie,” Peeta confirmed.

“Yeah, that one. Anyways, she’s been living with her ever since. Katniss and Prim fly out there a couple times a year but otherwise, Katniss never mentions her.”

“So, you and Katniss are—friends?”

“Yes.”

Silence filled the room. Peeta was having trouble wrapping his mind around the fact that his brother was friends with his ex-girlfriend. The mother of his child. The woman, who even after ten years, he was still hopelessly in love with.

“Does she ever ask about me?” Peeta couldn’t help himself. He had to know.

“Occasionally,” Rye admitted.

“Does she know I’m back? Is that why she didn’t come into the bakery today?”

“That, I honestly don’t know. It’s been a busy week, as you know, and I haven’t talked to her since the beginning of last week. However, Panem is small and you know how people talk. I’m sure she does, but she didn’t hear it from me.” Peeta nodded. “Look, I really am sorry,” Rye continued. “It was never my intention to hide any of this from you. But, there was never really a good time to bring it up. After you broke up, you seemed to move on quickly, and I didn’t want to open old wounds.”

Peeta let out a chuckle. Rye’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You think I moved on?” Peeta breathed out. “I haven’t had another girlfriend. Haven’t slept with anyone else. Hell, I’ve barely looked at another girl.”

“Geez, Peet, it’s been ten years.”

“You don’t think I know that? There were so many girls, especially in college, and I thought about it. A lot. But I couldn’t let her go. None of them could compare. Katniss—she’s special. Whoever is with her now doesn’t realize how lucky he is.”

Rye shook his head. It was Peeta’s turn to be confused. “Katniss isn’t with anyone. And she hasn’t been.” Peeta was flabbergasted. He couldn’t believe that she wasn’t married, or at least in some sort of relationship. Despite their past, Peeta felt as if Katniss deserved that type of happiness. “Don’t get me wrong. There’s been a couple of dates here and there. Gale, for starters, but Katniss shot him down before it could even begin. Robert Cato was the first, and Katniss had texted me ‘SOS’ halfway through. A couple years later, we all thought Darius Smith would get a chance. They had this long-lasting flirtation thing going, but that only lasted one date too.”

“Wow.” Peeta wasn’t really sure what else to say. “Why didn’t anything last?”

“She told me she never wants to get married, so there wasn’t a point in stringing anyone along.”

Peeta considered this for a moment. When they were dating, practically still children, they had talked about marriage a couple of times. It was never anything serious, just little conversations here and there about what their future would hold. Katniss had always been insistent they finish college first, but she had never shared she didn’t want to get married. He wondered what had changed.

“Do you want to see her?” Rye asked, breaking the silence.

“I don’t know,” Peeta replied honestly. When he had agreed to come home and take his father’s place in the bakery, Katniss hadn’t been on his mind. He supposed, in a way, he had moved on from Katniss. If only in the sense that his life didn’t revolve around her. His first thoughts had been about uprooting his life, how he would find balance, and still pursue his passions while also maintaining a thriving business. However, he wasn’t lying when he said he hadn’t moved on in a romantic sense. When it came to dating other women, Peeta had a hard time remembering they weren’t his high school love, and when it came down to it, he couldn’t stop comparing her to other woman and ultimately refusing their advances.

“When I told Dad I would come back,” Peeta explained, “I didn’t really think about her. I guess subconsciously, I thought she had moved on and away, since no one ever talked about her. Seeing her last week was definitely a shock, but I understand why you never brought her up.”

Rye nodded. “No more secrets,” he promised. He grinned, goofily. “Forgive me?” he asked, batting his eyelashes.

Peeta rolled his eyes. “I suppose so. But you have to do all the dishes for a week!”

Rye hit Peeta in the arm with a throw pillow and they both began laughing. Peeta had a lot to adjust to, but he decided being home wouldn’t be so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I hope to have the next one up within a couple of weeks. It all depends on my work load in the coming weeks and how life plays out with going "back to normal" (if that's even possible at this point).
> 
> I hope everyone stays safe! Wash your hands! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos/review if you are so inclined! Thank you for reading!


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